Contextual factors influencing the use of digital health by patients and physicians in primary care: a scoping review protocol.

Introduction: Integrating digital health technologies to improve the overall performance of healthcare systems counts among the top priorities of the WHO. As evidenced in recent research, there are specific factors that may decisively determine the effective implementation and development of innovative digital health solutions. This review attempts to recognise and map the existing body of research and evidence to identify the determinants that either favour or hinder the deployment and use of digital health technologies by patients and physicians in primary care.

Advances in cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) for structure-based drug discovery.

Introduction: Macromolecular X-ray crystallography (XRC), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) are the primary techniques for determining atomic-level, three-dimensional structures of macromolecules essential for drug discovery. With advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and cryoEM, the Protein Data Bank (PDB) is solidifying its role as a key resource for 3D macromolecular structures. These developments underscore the growing need for enhanced quality metrics and robust validation standards for experimental structures.

Central statistical monitoring in clinical trial management: A scoping review.

Background: Clinical trials handle a huge amount of data which can be used during the trial to improve the ongoing study conduct. It is suggested by regulators to implement the remote approach to evaluate clinical trials by analysing collected data. Central statistical monitoring helps to achieve that by employing quantitative methods, the results of which are a basis for decision-making on quality issues.

The N-Acetyltransferase 2 Polymorphism and Susceptibility to Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Case-Control Study.

The enzyme N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) plays an important role in metabolism and detoxification of xenobiotics, including carcinogens and medications. We aimed to assess the contribution of the NAT2 polymorphism to susceptibility to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in the Polish population. The study involved 101 IBD patients and 100 healthy controls.

Detecting anomalies in graph networks on digital markets.

The study examines different graph-based methods of detecting anomalous activities on digital markets, proposing the most efficient way to increase market actors' protection and reduce information asymmetry. Anomalies are defined below as both bots and fraudulent users (who can be both bots and real people). Methods are compared against each other, and state-of-the-art results from the literature and a new algorithm is proposed.

Air quality and transport behaviour: sensors, field, and survey data from Warsaw, Poland.

The present study describes the data sets produced in Warsaw, Poland with the aim of developing tools and methods for the implementation of human-centred and data-driven solutions to the enhancement of sustainable mobility transition. This study focuses on school commutes and alternatives to private cars for children drop off and pick up from primary schools. The dataset enables the complex analysis of interactions between determinants of transport mode choice, revealed choices, and air quality impact.

Social Inclusion for People with Intellectual Disability and on the Autism Spectrum through Assistive Technologies: Current Needs and Future Priorities.

Context: Contemporary technologies, such as mainstream and specialised Assistive Technologies (ATs), are seen as effective. However, there is a noticeable gap between technological progress and the ability to customise these technologies to meet the unique needs and characteristics of neurodivergent individuals, particularly those on the Autism Spectrum and people with Intellectual Disability (pwID).

Purpose: The goal of this study is to investigate the present requirements and future priorities acknowledged by specialists in the field regarding the progress of social inclusion for this population, making use of ATs.

Cost-effectiveness of nonavalent vs bivalent HPV vaccine in Polish setting.

Objectives: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a prevalent sexually transmitted infection with significant implications for public health. In Poland, a nationwide vaccination program offers a choice between the 9-valent (9v) and 2-valent (2v) HPV vaccines. We aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of the 9v vs 2v vaccine from the public payer perspective in Poland.

Stability of subjective well-being during the economic crisis: A four-wave latent transition analysis in a national sample of Poles.

This study aimed to examine profiles of subjective well-being (SWB) and their stability during the economic hardships associated with the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Selected sociodemographic, personality, and context-related variables were tested as covariates. Data were collected from 1755 participants (mean age 45.

In Silico Modeling of Stress Distribution in the Diseased Ankle Joint.

Osteoarthritis is a feature of the aging process. Here, we adopted in silico 2D finite element modeling (FEM) for the simulation of diseased ankle joints. We delved into the influence of body weight intensity on the stress distribution caused by subchondral cysts imitating degenerative age-related arthritic changes.

A Comparative Analysis of Telerehabilitation and Telemedicine Utilization During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Poland: Trends, Patterns, and Implications.

The study aimed to examine the influence of COVID-19 on the adoption of teleservices in Poland, with a focus on contrasting patterns between rehabilitation and ambulatory care settings. We conducted a retrospective analysis of a national dataset to assess trends in telehealth use from 2020 to 2022. The use of teleservices peaked in April 2020 in both sectors.

Scale and rate heterogeneity in the EQ-5D-5L valuation.

Objectives: To estimate values on a quality-adjusted life year (QALY) scale using individual preference evidence, choice analyses typically include ancillary parameters, such as scale factors and discount rates. These parameters potentially differ among respondents. In this study, we investigated how allowing heterogeneity in scale and rate affects the estimation of EQ-5D-5L values.

How much can we learn from each other? Polish and Hungarian good practices in financing ophthalmology care as a proposal for implementation in Ukraine.

Objectives: The article aims to compare payment schemes for cataract, glaucoma, vitrectomy, cornea transplantations, DME, and AMD across Hungary, Poland, and Ukraine, and to identify implementable practices in Ukraine within the context of ongoing healthcare reforms.

Methods: Researchers used mixed-method research-with legal documents and data analysis on utilisation of ophthalmology services between 2010 and 2019 and in-depth semi structured interviews with fifteen health experts from Hungary, Poland, and Ukraine. Interviewees, five from each country, were representatives from healthcare providers and payers with at least 10 years' experience in ophthalmology care and knowledge about financing schemes in each country of residence.

AlphaKnot 2.0: a web server for the visualization of proteins' knotting and a database of knotted AlphaFold-predicted models.

The availability of 3D protein models is rapidly increasing with the development of structure prediction algorithms. With the expanding availability of data, new ways of analysis, especially topological analysis, of those predictions are becoming necessary. Here, we present the updated version of the AlphaKnot service that provides a straightforward way of analyzing structure topology.

Assessment of the dynamics of inpatient health care delivery in Poland before and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

A situation of emergency involving the whole population introduces changes in the dynamics of the health services that are provided. The magnitude of these shifts should be also linked to the medical speciality within which the health benefits are delivered. The aim of the paper was to identify changes in tendencies in inpatient medical service delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic by medical specialties.

Overcoming Barriers in Hospital-Based Health Technology Assessment (HB-HTA): International Expert Panel Consensus.

The purpose of this article is to investigate the common facilitators and barriers associated with the implementation of hospital-based health technology assessment (HB-HTA) across diverse hospital settings in seven countries. Through a two-round Delphi study, insights were gathered from a panel of 15 HTA specialists from France, Hungary, Italy, Kazakhstan, Poland, Switzerland, and Ukraine. Experts initially conducted a comprehensive review of the HB-HTA implementation in their respective countries, identifying the barriers and facilitators through descriptive analysis.

Factors influencing medical expenditures in patients with unresolved facial palsy and pharmacoeconomic analysis of upper eyelid lid loading with gold and platinum weights compared to tarsorrhaphy.

There are no standards in diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to eye care in incomplete eyelid closure due to unresolved facial palsy (FP). Loading of the upper eyelid (UELL) with gold weights (GWs) or platinum chains (PCs) is a highly effective procedure for the correction of lagophthalmos. Despite this, the procedure is used infrequently in our country because of the relatively high price of the implant and the lack of reimbursement.

Did Covid-19 make things worse? The pandemic as a push factor stimulating the emigration intentions of junior doctors from Poland: A mixed methods study.

Covid-19 has challenged health systems around the world and increased the global competition for medical professionals. This article investigates if the pandemic and its management became an important push factor influencing the migration intentions of medical students and junior doctors and how this factor compared in importance to others. A mixed methods study-a survey and in-depth interviews-was conducted with final-year students at public medical universities in Poland, a country already suffering from a significant emigration of medical staff.

No Country for Sick Men: The Political Determinants of Health Policy in Poland.

Context: The objective of this article is to explain the political factors determining the relatively weak performance of the Polish health care (HC) sector. This can be treated as a critical case for several reasons. First, the Poles are among the most unsatisfied patients in the European Union, with one of the lowest life expectancy levels.